Fade Into You
by dumbfordead
Summary: They were two completely different people. One was a struggling singer, trying to get onto a stage and the other was a painter, his art getting nowhere, but his bare apartment. They were both university students attending the same school. Their story started when she stepped outside and he was spray painting wings on the brick walls of the empty alleyway.
1. Chapter 1

Finals were finally over. I was relieved. In fact, I think the whole student body was. To celebrate that no one had snuffed themselves during the term, parties were being held both on and off campus. I had been invited to a few, but going to parties wasn't my thing. Instead, I settled on going to the bar with my friends and have a few drinks with them. I had this image I needed to keep. Seen at the wrong place could ruin it and that was something I couldn't afford. I was young, but I was privileged to be even going to school on a scholarship.

The bar had already been packed by the time I arrived. In the back, my friends waved me over. Before heading to them, I got myself a beer. Korra and Mako sat next to each other. He had his arm wrapped around her, holding her close as he laughed hard at Bolin. That man was always joking. One of the reason why I loved him. I joined in on the laughter and sat next to Bolin. It felt so good to be with them than in my dorm studying hard. We laughed and talked about everything. It went from talking about the classes we most likely failed to our plans for Christmas break. Korra and Mako were going to Korra's hometown. As for Bolin, he was going to his grandma's and spend Christmas with his family.

I envied all three of them. It was something I would never mention nor admit to if asked. For this Christmas, my plans were easy to list. Alone in my room. Just like previous Christmas' I had spent since starting university. Although I had a close relationship with my friends, it was something I never talked about. I'm sure as the years dragged they figured something was up when it came to our families, but they never had enough courage to ask. If not enough courage, they might have been to full of fear. If it was fear, I wouldn't know what they would fear. The answer or my reaction to their questions.

Shots came and shots went. I laughed at Bolin when he told me to take it easy. "Don't be so prune," I told him. Korra slapped her leg at my joke. Like it was the funniest thing she ever heard. We continued our drinking, our laughter and enjoying each other's company. At a certain point, I realized enough was enough. My cheeks burned and my hands were numb from all the drinking I had just endured. "That's a night for me," I said to everyone. They begged me to stay, but everything that passed my lips came out in slurs. I waved my goodbye and stepped into the cold air. Believe it or not, I was thankful for the amount of alcohol in my system. With this, I was able to brace the cold. I barely felt the cold chill I was sure was in the wind.

I leaned against the brick wall to catch my breath. A burn started to build in my throat and my stomach began to weigh me down. As expected, all of the alcohol I had to drink was soon to make its way up. I pressed my hand against my stomach and walked to the alleyway. My hand pressed on the brick wall to give me balance when I started to dry heave. Nothing was coming up and I needed it to. With my tongue, I pushed it all the way in the back of my mouth to make myself gag. That was all it took and everything was on the snow covered concrete and my favourite pair of boots. Once again, I began to heave as I finished vomiting.

The drunken state I was in before had left and spilled onto the concrete along with the vomit. How funny. I thought to myself. My mouth was dry and I wiped my lips as I stood up straight. From behind me, I could hear something being sprayed and because I wasn't all there, I thought someone was doing their hair outside like a fool. Which was a terrible thought, but curiosity got the best of me and I turned around and saw someone dressed in all black with a spray can in his left hand. On the brick wall, there was one side of wings painted. I was stunned and without thinking, I blurted out, "What the fuck are you doing?"

He looked at me like I was the crazy one. "What do you mean? Isn't it obvious what I'm doing?" He said with a click in his voice. I shook my head and walked over to him.

"Why the wing?" I questioned ignoring the fact that he was vandalizing public property. From the distance, a siren could be heard and the next thing I can recall is running down the alleyway while this guy I never spoke to before held my hand. We ran until I couldn't even function anymore and I was on the ground laughing. I tried to catch my breath, but the laughter made it cease to exist. Looking back on it, laying on the snow, laughing my head off, I probably looked like I popped some Molly before leaving the bar.

The mystery guy laid next to me and his eyes lit up into the sky. He had a dark green and black scarf covering his face from the nose down, but I knew that he was smiling. Oh, and his eyes, they were a bold, emerald green and I couldn't help myself but stare at him. Before I could ask him his name, he stood up and held his hand out for me.

"Come on, you're getting all wet." I grabbed his hand and was lost in his voice. As began to walk again, our conversation also began. He introduced himself as Wei. He wasn't taking off scarf and claimed that he was cold, but I had a feeling he wanted to still be a mystery. What led to that thought was because I gave him my last name and he wouldn't. Life's life, I supposed.

"You're trying to be this big time artist?" I asked to clarify. He nodded. That was something we had in common. We were both tried to be someone in this world. To matter to someone. I didn't feel alone when I was with him. By then, we sat on an empty bench and I had a mickey of vodka with orange juice to chase it. I was the only one drinking, but I didn't mind. The night continued and after a certain point, I forgot where I was until I opened my eyes and saw brick walls. I was in a place I couldn't recognize.


	2. Chapter 2

I laid in a soft blanket. My clothes were still on, but that didn't change the fact that my head was spinning. I sat up and looked at my surroundings. It was definite that I had never been here before. No one laid beside me and that raised some questions. I can admit, there are times I had came home with people after a night of drinking, but all those times, they would be laying next to me. This time, no one. Beside the bed, I saw my phone on the nightstand along with my purse. I reached for my phone and saw unread messages from Korra and Bolin. They asked in various ways why I wasn't answering and if I made it home alright. At least they show they care while drinking. I thought.

My lips parted as I yawned loudly. I stretched my arms and legs before I got out of the bed to walk around. I walked down the stairs and noted that I was in a studio flat. A beautiful one. I noted. Against the walls, there were painted canvases as well as framed photos. Besides that, the studio was empty except the art supplies that laid on the floor and countertops in the kitchen, and a couch which I guessed was the living room area. In there, I saw a stereo, a turn table with a stack of CDs and vinyls. This almost empty studio, I still wasn't able to decipher where I was. Walking closer to the couch, I realized that someones leg was hanging at the end. My hand lightly grazed the couch and I looked down to see a beautiful man laying on the couch without a shirt, but part of his legs were covered by a small blanket.

I giggled at the sight and in response, he stirred in his sleep before fluttering his eyes open. Instantly, I apologized for waking him. He chuckled lightly and sat up. Beside the couch, there was a coffee table with papers, empty small bags and a glass bong. He was a stoner. Wei. His name popped in mind.

"Morning," I greeted. He returned the gesture and got up. I watched as he went to the kitchen area and started to brew up some coffee.

"How was your sleep?" he asked. I walked to the counter and shrugged.

"Not that bad," I replied. He nodded as he poured some water into the machine. "Are these yours?" I gestured to the canvases. Wei laughed at my joke. Mind him, I was hungover and the events from the night before was still fuzzy.

"Were you really that drunk?" he asked as he turned to face me. "I bet you can't even recall my name."

"That isn't true. Your name is Wei," I replied quickly. "I just can't remember your last name," I added.

He was still chuckling. "That's because I never told you, my dear, Asami Sato." In embarrassment, my cheeks flushed when he said my name. I don't know what it was, but his voice and my name leaving his lips sounded so beautiful. In honesty, he was a looker. He had a nice, built upper body and his ass wasn't that bad either. I was sure he noticed that I had been checking him out, but that didn't stop me. He turned around to pour the coffee and on his back, he had wings tattooed on his back.

"Do the wings mean anything to you?" I asked. He set both mugs on the counter with a grin. He must of thought I was crazy for asking, but I always found tattoos beautiful. Something about them, I felt like there were always a story behind each one. Even if someone had gotten one just because, but even that was comforting for me.

"If I can recall, you asked the same thing last night when we got back here and when we first spoke to each other," he said with an even cheekier grin. I shoved his shoulder and let out a light laugh.

"I was drunk," I defended. Which I was.

"I know. I know." He held his hands up and asked if I needed anything for pain. I nodded.

"Please, anything but a hoot," I told him honestly. He chuckled and passed me a bottle of tylenol and a glass of water. He also mentioned that he doesn't give just _anyone_ a hoot from his baby. I rolled my eyes. I took two pills out and washed them down with the water before drinking the whole glass. "I keep asking you these questions, but you keep beating around the bush."

"That's a funny way of putting it. Why not go back a bit? I think we started off on a shaky start." I nodded.

"Ah yes, I agree. You were vandalizing last night."

"Darn! Here I thought I was out of the woods on that," he joked. He offered his hand and introduced himself. "The names Wei. I vandalize buildings and I smoke weed. Parents warn their kids about me," he chuckled.

I took his hand gave it a light shake. "Hello, I'm Asami Sato. Apparently, I ask too many questions and I'm in school to become an engineer," I admitted, letting his hand go.

"School girl, huh," he said, sipping his coffee. I nodded. "My dad's an engineer. Him and my brother. They tell me that it's a great feeling when they help build a new model for a car. What a laugh." I raised an eyebrow which he noticed, but didn't say anything.

"Just trying to make a living," I told him, also sipping my coffee. "Besides that, do the wings mean anything to you?" I ask him. He shrugged and walked over to the window, sliding it open. He grabbed a pack of cigarettes and lit himself up as he stood by the gaping window.

"It's really stupid," Wei told me.

"What's there to lose?" I fought back and he laughed. Quite the character.

"When I was a kid," he started, inhaling a long drag. As he continued, smoke poured out of his lips and he said, "I wanted to fly. I thought that one day, I'm going to be just like dad and build something that can make me fly. Which is stupid because theres already these planes in the sky and people skydiving out of these planes. There'd be nothing for me to create. Then another thought came to me as a child, what if I grew wings?" he shook his head. "Completely stupid, I tell you, but I also adored wings and the beauty with each feather. For a first tattoo, I decided to get wings." He grinned and inhaled another long drag.

And I smiled at the story. "That isn't stupid. I mean, as kids, we see things differently and want things that seem remotely impossible, but we can't help ourselves. As a kid, nothing is impossible even if someone else thought of the idea."

He nodded and the word impossible lingered in the room. As if it had a deeper meaning with him. I wondered what it really was with the wings. When my mom was still around when I was younger, she put the idea that even the most impossible things were possible. I always thought that was beautiful, but as the years passed and I began to age with a broken father, my mother's idea began to diminish with the alcohol. The alcohol with my father. That was another story.

"You're at least twenty-one."

"What?" I said, blinking at him. I sipped at my coffee and again, he repeated himself. I laughed. "I am. You're not secretly a fifteen-year-old boy, are you?" I joked and he laughed at me.

"No. I just guessed because you bought vodka last night."

I flicked my hair over my shoulder. "Kid, I can buy alcohol at any age with this beauty."

He chuckled at me softly. "You're funny," he said. From there, we went to the couch and talked and talked for hours. I didn't find out his age till I asked him what he was doing with his life. Wei told me that he was finished high school and was also going to university, the same as me, but for the art program. Which I thought was cool. With all the different buildings and the art building being so far away from the engineering building, it was rare I met someone a part of the program. Wei had told me he was eighteen and would've finished school when he was younger, but due to family matters, he dropped out for a year.

"So you're this genius or what?" I asked him. He shook his head and told me that his parents put him in school early. Like they did with all of his other siblings. Which I found interesting, but I kept that to myself. When I asked about his siblings, Wei would always change the subject quickly, but I didn't mind. There was so much about him yet to unravel. It was like he himself represented one of his paintings. Under each brushstroke, a greater pain laid there.

I felt so young when we talked. At the same time, I felt so old because as he talked about life and how corrupted this world was, he spoke on a mature manner. Like he understood this world better than the people who ruled out our country. Most of the time, I just listened. He would start talking about how the oil prices is fucking up our economy to how everyone in the school system is fucking over their life. I found that interesting and I did agree with him. High school wasn't something I enjoyed and it went further than the books for me. Life at home wasn't always pretty pictures in the Sato home.

"Is it really 6 in the evening?" Wei questioned, looking up at the clock on the wall. I looked up and nodded and was astonished as well. My head laid on his lap as he talked about everything wrong and beautiful about our world. We were so engrossed in our conversation, I felt like I knew every piece of him, but this was only the start. There was still so much to learn about each other.

I sat up and grabbed my phone to confirm the time. "Are you hungry? I'm starting to build a hunger," I admitted, turning to him. He nodded. We agreed to order pizza and continue our conversation. After we ate the pizza, I left my number with him and decided that it was time for to get home and get some rest as well to take a much needed shower. Before leaving, I took a pair of his combat boots because sometime during the night, I had ruined my favourite pair of boots. Walking down the hall for the dorms, it already felt empty as everyone had went to enjoy their Christmas break with their families and friends. It felt like I was the only one left in the whole building and I felt so alone once I made it back to my room. After a shower and getting into more comfortable clothes, I laid down in bed and checked my phone. A message from a new number that read:

It's been so long since I talked to someone about life in that manner. Most people think I'm crazy.

I smiled and saved Wei's number into my phone. I replied with:

Maybe we're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl.

Almost instantly I received a reply.

No one knows Pink Floyd. Can I just marry you? lol

I read the message and didn't bother to reply. I rested my head on the pillow and listened to Pink Floyd, softly singing along with a smile on my face.


	3. Chapter 3

Wei was eventful. Since the break started and everyone else was with their families, Wei and I were always seen together. A few days after I was at his place, we texted and talked on the phone. Some of the conversations we had were pointless, but it felt nice to talk to someone. Even if it was just to show someone a song. Wei ended up at my dorm with Chinese takeout. I let him in and took the bag from him. He wore a knitted sweater and black sweatpants. He looked really good as well as comfortable. Wei gave me a quick glance and said, "Lazy day, is it?" I nodded. It was also a sweatpants kind of day for me. I sat on the floor and started to get the food ready for us to eat. Wei looked around the room before he sat across from me.

He was stoned. That much was obvious, but it never bothered me. Not every stoner was a bad person, like how every person that enjoyed to have a drink was a raging alcoholic. There's a positive and a negative to everything. Even to the best of things. Most people choose not to notice it. That's the honest truth.

"Think of this," I started. Wei looked up at me as he ate rice. "There's so much fucked up things in the world, but how is it possible for there to be good people?" Wei stopped eating and pondered on the question. As he thought about it, I began to eat.

"Think about Pink Floyd," he said. "I'm sure you feel this way, but for me, they already understood how fucked up the world was. Their eyes were wide and they knew what isolation can cause and the way they displayed the school system in 'Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2' perfect. They knew corruption and this was back in the 70s. The same could be said about Wu -Tang and Tupac. They saw things differently because of the environment they grew up in. The poverty they dealt with as young kids. Those rappers and many others from that time saw the world different from a white man and they were able to give a message to people with their music. I guess what I'm trying to say is that some people deal with things differently and it's really up to the person what they see."

I nodded as I took in everything he had just said. "Nicely said," I told him, honestly. Wei did have a point with Pink Floyd. I don't really know about Wu-tang or Tupac, the rappers he mentioned, but it sounded like he knew what he was talking about and I respected that. Back to Pink Floyd, in all honesty, I feel like some of the albums they released was ahead of their time. Some people just didn't appreciate it like they would now, I guess. We ate while music softly played in the background.

"Asami Sato, dear," Wei said to me. He was leaning against the bed, his hand on his stomach. He looked like he had an appetizing meal.

"I did mention before that you don't have to say my last name when you talk to me."

"But it sounds so nice." He grinned. "You play guitar?" I blinked at him and then nodded. "Play me something. Anything."

"Alright." I got up and grabbed the guitar that sat in the corner. I sat on the bed and tuned the guitar. The guitar was ready to be played, but I was a little nervous to play in front of Wei. We haven't known each other long, but I didn't want to screw up either. He was only one person and I've played in bars and coffee shops before, but I just couldn't shake away this nervous feeling.

"Have you played in front of people before?" Wei asked, looking up at me with those emerald eyes. I nodded. "Then don't be nervous. Just play." I nodded again and took a deep breath, strumming the guitar. The song I was going to sing was one that I wrote.

My strumming stayed calm and the first line passed my lips.

_All my life, shackles on my feet_

From then on, I was lost in the song.

_I need none of everything I see_

_Strip away the things you say and_

_I'm left with what you do_

_I'm too scared to walk alone_

_And I feel far from home_

_If I fall, will you carry me,_

_Carry me,_

_Carry me home?_

_Am I sinking in the sea?_

_What I've done comes to me_

_If I drown, will you carry me,_

_Carry me,_

_Carry me home?_

_Home?_

I let the last word linger as I finished to strum the guitar. It wasn't the whole song because I was so nervous, I forgot the second verse. How stupid of me. I thought. I just hoped he didn't notice and only heard me and nothing else.

"Wow," Wei said. While I was singing, Wei had moved from leaning against the couch to staring at me from the middle of the floor. That's when I could feel my cheeks flush. The way he looked at me was a no man has ever looked at me after I sang. It made me feel good, but insecure. Somehow, I felt like an open book and he was able to see in between the lines and that he wouldn't run away from me. I didn't know what to say. "You write that?" he asked me.

"Y-yeah," I stumbled on my words.

He clapped his hand and said, "Bravo, dear, Asami. Bravo." I smiled and shoved him in the shoulder.

"Quit it, you. You made me nervous," I admitted.

"Whatever," he said. "You sang like a pro." I smiled widely at him. He laid on the floor and looked up into the ceiling.

"Have you been writing your own stuff for a long time?" he asked me.

"Yeah. Just a way for me to get it out, y'know?"

He sat up. "Enlighten me."

"Well, you do your painting. You express yourself that way and boy, your art is amazing. For me, it's singing. For me to feel at home with myself, I sing. It's something that has always comforted me as well. Music is what always comforted me. I always needed music to fall asleep. Been like that since I was a child. When I was baby," I said, smiling, looking up at the ceiling. "My mom used to sing me lullabies to put me to sleep. As I got older, her voice was replaced with a CD in the stereo. It's just, without music, it takes me a long time to fall asleep. Some nights, I won't be able to sleep if I don't listen to music."

I felt my eyes water, but I swallowed hard. I haven't talked about my mother in a really long time. I didn't even talk about them around my friends and here I was talking about her with Wei. Someone I only knew for a few days.

Wei stood up and offered his hand. "Let's get out of here. We could use a breather." I took his hand and stood up. I got ready and out the door we went. Mentally, I told myself I'd clean the mess when I returned. We walked down the street to a bus stop. I asked him where we were going and he shrugged. "Ever take the wrong bus before?" I shook my head. "It's fun. Just get on a random bus and the first stop, if it looks interesting enough, get off and explore." I nodded and that is what we did. The bus came and we both got on, sitting all the way in the back. Wei made funny faces at me, imitating the other passengers on the bus which resulted into giggles. In didn't take long for the bus to stop and we were downtown of the city. Wei took my hand and we both went outside.

"Let's go this way," I said. He nodded. Down the street, we stopped for coffee and stopped to look at someone's art. It was all done in pencil and I thought they were beautiful. Wei on the other hand barely gave a second glance at them. With the little change I had, I gave it to the guy and we started our walk again. Wei stopped us and we were outside a record shop. "Lets go in," I told him. He nodded hesitantly and opened the door for me. I wanted to ask what was wrong, but any thought was lost once I walked in. Shelves and crates full of vinyls filled the room.

I walked towards the back to where it said **COUNTRY **in bolded blue letters. I scanned through the records and smiled when I came across Johnny Cash's first album _With His Hot and Blue Guitar_. There were some great songs on the album. _Cry! Cry! Cry!_ was a personal favourite of mine along with _I Walk The Line_.

"What you got there?" Wei asked me. I showed him and put the album back into the crate.

"Another time," I told him.

"Come on, I'll buy it for you." I shook my head and told him that it would be alright. I was in an amazing store and I knew I would be coming back here when I had the money to buy vinyls. He kept on telling me that it would be alright and I said no. It was then he backed down and listened. We left the shop and went to a bus stop. We parted ways there and he told me that he'd call me later. I agreed before getting on the bus and waving him goodbye. He smiled and walked to an alleyway as I walked to the back of the bus. The ride was quiet and no music played on the bus. Which was disappointing and hurt because I was left with my thoughts to eat me alive.

I didn't want to be seen as this poor girl in front of Wei. He was younger than me for christsakes. As the bus drove down in silence, the thought of us being friends became a bad idea in my mind. I told myself that I shouldn't have stayed at his house for as long as I did. I should have just left when I first woke, but I didn't. Someone I barely know was beginning to seep into my veins and at the time, I didn't know how to handle it. Wei knew too much about the world and that is what made me fear him. It was evident that he came from a wealthy family. For one, he lived in a beautiful home and it looked like he didn't have to pay for it. All he had to do was live in. Then secondly, he always paid for our meals. Even though I didn't have the money, I kept on telling myself I could pay for my own food, but I didn't bother saying anything until he offered to buy me the vinyl. I felt horrible for blowing up at him.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. It was Wei calling. I wanted to ignore him, but I didn't want to seem rude so I answered. "Asami," he said.

"Yes?"

"Sorry about that at the shop. I just feel really bad now. Ever watch _The Princess and The Frog_?"

"No, why?" I asked him.

"Call me when you get home. We're going to watch it." Dial tone.

I felt a little more relieved after the phone call, but the thought of him being my friend was still being questioned in the back of my mind. I made it home and put my hair up into a messy bun. I texted Wei and told him that I made it back to the dorm. He replied and told me that he was going to come over to watch movies. I didn't argue against it nor did I have the energy to anyway. It didn't take long for Wei to make it to the dorm and I was already in bed, snuggled under the covers. His eyes were red and he smelled of skunk. Without question, Wei grabbed my laptop and sat at the edge of my bed and put the movie _The Princess and The Frog_ in. He sat against the wall and I sat beside him, resting my head on his shoulder. Once the movie was rolling, it didn't take long for the exhaustion to kick in. Almost instantly, I was in a slumber. The next day, I woke up to an empty room, my laptop back on my desk and I was under the covers. It was as if Wei wasn't even there, but on my laptop, I saw a note.

_We'll finish the movie another time. I hope you slept well._

I checked my phone and saw similar messages from Wei. Maybe this friendship could work. I thought.

* * *

The song is originally written and performed by George Leach.


End file.
